Oh, thanks you guys! I love these bassinets, they look amazing. Does anyone know which model is best? I like the look of the clear-vue and the euro mini the best. I definitely don't want her to sleep in our bed forever, just for now when I need to get up all the time to feed her, it's so much easier having her close. Blade, thanks for the helpful doctor opinions, I definitely don't want to suffocate my baby.

Here's an alternative position on co-sleeping: http://www.askdrsears.com/news/lates...eping-concerns. Safe co-sleeping, as outlined in the above link, can actually lead to lower rates of SIDS (and numerous other benefits). Based on what I've read and learned over the years, unsafe co-sleeping practices are the ones that can increase the risk of infant death. For example, mothers (and/or fathers) who have impaired awareness due to alcohol use, drug/medication use etc.

On another level, the opposite of co-sleeping - having a tiny, new human being who is completely dependent on his/her "special big people" for survival sleep in a cold, wooden prison-like chamber, often far off in a separate room - is a very modern invention that can have harmful impacts on the child's social-emotional development (especially when it comes to sleep training). It is natural for infants and young children to seek comfort, contact, and security from their parents. Without the protection of "special big people" there is no way babies would have survived in the past (think back to our evolutionary past when wild animals and other predators would have been a big threat). Seeking connection and closeness is a hard wired survival instinct in infants. In recent times, we've decided that it is easier/more convenient for us as adults to have children sleep in their own cribs/beds, often in their own rooms (and if they cry or protest, we just need to "train" that survival instinct out of them). I could go on...

I am a therapist. I work with children, youth, and families who struggle with attachment disruptions, relational trauma, dissociation etc. We need to be responsive to our infants/babies/children. They need to have consistent emotional attunement early in life so that they feel "seen," understood, cherished (i.e., so they grow up feeling like they are worthwhile, capable human beings). Emotional attunement is a critical ingredient in their neurological development, especially when it comes to learning how to self-soothe, regulate emotions, develop impulse control, and empathize with others. Trust your instincts. Attune to your child's needs. Respond lovingly to him/her. It is so worth it.

I had zero intentions of co-sleeping when I was pregnant and actually thought it was silly and 'granola' and would be an unnecessary strain on the marriage relationship.

Ha, well that changed in a hurry when baby was born!

Mother instinct kicked in right away and I realized that newborn babies are SUPPOSED to be very close with their mamas the first few months. It all of a sudden just seemed the most natural and obvious thing in the world. It is actually quite an unfortunate thing in Western cultural to separate infants from their mothers at night. (However, the realities of life for many people in our culture simply does not support cosleeping). Anyways, my baby girl slept with me till she was 5 months then easily transitioned to her crib at 5 months old. The transition was easy, she seemed to be secure enough by then to sleep on her own and cry for me when she needed a cuddle or feed. It did not harm my marriage and did not create a needy baby/child. In fact, probably the opposite is true in the short-term and long-term..baby was just generally more secure over-all that her needs would be met.

On another level, the opposite of co-sleeping - having a tiny, new human being who is completely dependent on his/her "special big people" for survival sleep in a cold, wooden prison-like chamber, often far off in a separate room - is a very modern invention that can have harmful impacts on the child's social-emotional development (especially when it comes to sleep training).

Wow that is a very dramatic view of a nursery. It's a crib not an iron lung.

My husband and I are very interested in cosleeping. I've read of the same concerns about increased risk of SIDS/suffocation and so we want to use a cosleeper, at least until a higher crib is needed. We are both very deep sleepers and both wake up twisted in blankets ... not so good for baby IN bed. My only concern, and I bring this up to my husband quite often, is that it will be the cat that suffocates the baby! I worry that he'll just lay down on baby's face because baby is warm and soft (I had a long haired cat that used to loooove sleeping across my neck as an eight yr old). Someone will have to be kicked out of the bedroom ... baby or cat hmmmm. I am still paranoid that our cat will suffocate the baby, I'll be showering or just looking away for 90 seconds and the cat will sits/squash/suffocate the baby. He is not aloof or bored by humans, he is very dog-like and loves everybody, and wants to lay on everybody too. I just googled it and it happened in Sweden once yikes.

Anyways. Cosleepers seem really awesome (:

“And remember, my sentimental friend, that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.” L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz